Bob Jones faces baseball Game 3, James Clemens and Sparkman ousted
VESTAVIA – Greyson Wuis drove home what proved to be the game-winning run for Bob Jones in the top of the seventh inning of the opener, before Vestavia rebounded to win the nightcap and set the two teams on a collision course for a deciding third game.
The visiting Patriots took the first game 4-3, then fell 7-1 to the Rebels in the first-round matchup that was scheduled to begin today in the suburban city just south of Birmingham.
Instead, Game 3 is scheduled for tonight at 7. But following Thursday’s play officials indicated that the first pitch may be moved up.
In another scheduling curveball in 7A, Hewitt-Trussville at James Clemens was played a day earlier Thursday with the visiting Huskies earning a 12-1, 3-2 sweep.
Meanwhile, Sparkman was swept 12-1, 5-1 at Thompson in a 7A series.
Bob Jones 4, Vestavia Hills 3 (G1): Wuis’ two-run single in the seventh proved to be the game-winner. Wes Aldridge and Cole Spanier both singled in front of Wuis and scored on his dramatic hit.
The Rebels scored twice in the bottom of the first and again in the second to take a 3-0 lead behind a two-run double by Haines Bridges and a one-run double by Cohen Walker.
Bob Jones got a run on a run-scoring groundout by Kamrin Jenkins in the fifth and tied the game at 2-all in the sixth on a solo home run by winning pitcher Josh Wilhide.
Wilhide went the distance, allowing seven hits with three earned runs while striking out eight and walking three. Losing pitcher Wilson Szymela also went seven innings, allowing eight hits and four earned runs while striking out five and walking two.
Vestavia Hills 7, Bob Jones 1 (G2): Cooper Anderson threw a gem for the Rebels in the series equalizer, striking out 14 and walking two in a four-hitter. He allowed one earned run in the first inning, then cruised.
Jacob Harris led a 12-hit attack with a double among two hits and three RBIs for Vestavia Hills (27-12), which belted a total of five doubles.
Graham Segraves went 4.2 innings and took the loss for Bob Jones (25-16). He allowed nine hits, five runs all earned, struck out three and walked one. Jenkins hit a solo home run.
Hewitt-Trussville 12, James Clemens 1 (G1, 6 inn.): In Madison, the visiting Huskies broke the game open with five runs in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead.
Starter Jesse Isensee went five innings and took the loss. Matthew Evers singled and later scored on a single by Zach Schenck for the Jets’ lone run.
Hewitt-Trussville 3, James Clemens 2 (G2): In Madison, the Jets trailed by one run in the top of the seventh when batter Hckgle by Hayden Udovich was hit with a pitch, and Jesse Isensee later drew a two-out walk. But both runners were stranded by Jace Riggan, who worked 0.2 innings in relief of winning starter Cale McIntosh.
Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, the visiting Huskies (27-7) scored twice to move ahead 3-2 behind a single by Riggan and a wild pitch.
Matthew Evers went four innings in the loss. He allowed fruits, three earned runs, struck out none and walked two. Zach Schenck had three hits and an RBI for the Jets (22-18).
Thompson 12, Sparkman 1 (G1, 5 inn.): In Alabaster, the Warriors bolted to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and added seven more in the next two. Kade Brantley homered among two hits and totaled four RBIs. Winning pitcher Ashton Blair gave up five hits over five innings, allowing an unearned run while striking out six and walking one.
Starter Tripp Morris took the loss, and Jonathan Mitch doubled for the Senators.
Thompson 5, Sparkman 1 (G2): Wyatt Williams struck out 13 in a three-hitter, allowing one earned run and walking two. Offensively, the Warriors started fast again with four runs in the top of the first. Noah Quang doubled, and Aiden DeRamus had a hit and two RBIs for Thompson (24-17)
Starter Braxton Williams allowed just two hits and struck out eight in six innings. However, he walked six, including two in the first when Sparkman (22-19) also committed the only error of the game. Anthony Pearsall tripled and had two of the team’s six hits. He also scored the lone run on a third-inning single by Vincent Randolph.
